Viola (Songs for Trio Volume II )

Just like booklet 1 of the series 'Songs for Trio', the present volume again contains

10 original compositions, now for flute, viola and guitar.

The lower pitch of the viola enriches the overall sound of the trio and allows a wider spectrum of arrangement and interpretation.

With the exception of the songs number 9 and 10, all titles are originally again compositions for rock band, which I then rewrote for the present chamber music instrumentation.

Interested parties of the 1st volume have asked me to publish the lyrics of the original songs as well, so that the performing musicians can realise the pieces even more authentically. I am grateful for this suggestion, but for the time being I would like to limit myself to a few lines of text. Ultimately, the music must speak for itself and will, I am convinced, leave enough room for one's own interpretations and possibilities of expression.

Some keys of the present songs are less common, this applies, because of the degree of difficulty, especially to the guitar part. But they are absolutely necessary for the character of the pieces. Most composers will agree with me when I say that a composition transposed into another key is no longer the same. I have already stated elsewhere that the musical idea has absolute priority for me and thus determines the degree of difficulty (and also the key) of the individual pieces. An 'uncomfortable' key should not prevent the interested musician from dealing with the work. In most cases he will be rewarded for his efforts. In song number two, there is also a concrete relief for the guitar: with a capo in the 1st fret, the part is notated in A minor, but sounds in B flat minor.

Table of contents

1st) One Eyed Jack E minor Duration: 3.40 min

2nd) Amy B minor Duration: 6.10 min

3rd) The Clock B minor Duration: 6.30 min

4th) About her G Major Duration: 5.00 min

5th) Hit Man F sharp minor Duration: 4.20 min

6th) Memories C sharp minor Duration: 5.45 min

7th) You broke my heart F major Duration: 6.00 min

8) A winter song F sharp minor Duration: 11.20 min

9) Danse Arabe A minor Duration: 5.00 min

10th) Farewell E major Duration 4.00 min

One Eyed Jack is a notorious gangster and gunslinger of America in the 1860s. No one is safe from him, the whole of Texas is haunted by him. The chorus says: "I've been told that he never speaks, he 's the son of the devil, an evil freak - load your weapons and try to stay alive."

The musical theme of the protagonist comprises 2 bars with a flowing quaver movement. The whole piece has no resting points and gallops at a fast tempo from beginning to end. Whether the hunt for One Eyed Jack leads to success remains to be seen.

Song number 2 is about the English jazz singer Amy Winehouse. A melancholy melody with chromatic up and down movements dominates the musical events. The tempo is calm and sustained, the sinister key of B minor creates a sombre mood. A second theme rebels against it, but the tragedy is unstoppable. The lyrics say: "Her destructive side is mighty strong, she explains it in one of her songs - who cares about it?"

The relentless ticking of the clock that is lifetime is the theme of the third song. Irreversibly and far too quickly, the sand runs through the narrow funnel of time. The voices of the instruments entwine, drift apart, only to collide again with full force. The musical ticking of the clock is always present. Nimble fingers are needed to master the numerous sixteenth figures. Only when the clock shows the full hours can the musicians pause briefly, but after that it seems to go on all the faster. The piece ends abruptly and unexpectedly at full tempo.

With the help of the sublime and sonorous key of G major, a man in love describes the partner of his dreams. Of course, his ideas are full of idealism and confidence, but some modulations suggest that he cannot be completely sure of his love. Flute and viola alternate in his descriptions, lightly and tenderly the melodies merge. The guitar is mainly responsible for the harmonic accompaniment here.

The 'riff', or the theme of the Hit Man, is chromatic in nature and characterised by a change of time signature. The instruments take turns in its execution. The piece has numerous harmonic changes and rhythmic finesses.

The notation could also have been executed in the variant key of F-sharp major.

The hit Man says of himself:

"If you got a problem just call me on the phone,

when I see the message I'll surely come along

I shall be the preacher, the healer and the beast,

you will get some justice from far west to the east."

In song number 5, an elderly man struggles with his fate and lets his memories pass him by. The music floats in a space that is difficult to grasp; at first, the ear cannot find a foothold in the interplay of the instruments. Short motifs are only hinted at, melodic phrases seem to have lost their way. The lyrics of the song also remain vague and in need of interpretation:

...when hours will be days and minutes will be years

- fear grows -

it will knock you off your feet

and throw into a sea of undying love

that belongs to the past of spoken words

it was you, I was waiting for,

it was you who said no! ...

Only very late do these compositions condense into a unity and tenderly underline in the parallel key the most important realisation of all memories:

Look forward and not back!

The title of song number 7 stirs up the expectation that it is written in a minor key. But in music it is possible to compose deeply sad content in a major key. In the low register, the viola has the task of portraying the broken heart in an intimate and convincing way. The flute must act in a reserved and restrained manner, a large but quiet tone is required for this. The same applies to the guitar.

The Winter Song describes moods, landscapes, light and weather conditions of the dark season. The formal parts have the sequence A - B - A - B - A . Part B is a strictly executed, three-part fugue, which fits seamlessly into the otherwise free A parts. Two solo parts are reserved for the guitar.

Song number 9 offers a musical excursion into the Eastern European and North African area. Among other things, the 'Sema', a counter-clockwise dance performed by Dervishes, served as a model. After a short introduction by the guitar, the dizzying dance begins in fast two-quarter time. The listener must get the impression of being a guest in a nomad tent and listening to the sounds of a dance ritual. Precise interplay between flute and viola is required, especially the many ornaments and suggestions must be superimposed. The tempo marking for the furious finale is 'presto'.

Farewell' - the last song - is predestined for the conclusion of the second volume of the Songs for Trio series. Quietly and with dignity one says goodbye, because it is a farewell for ever. It is one of the pieces that I submitted to the Universal Edition to be accepted as a member.